Poinsettia plant named ‘Stargazer’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘Stargazer’, characterized by its upright and uniform plant habit; vigorous growth habit; dark green-colored leaves; dark red-colored flower bracts; early flowering habit; excellent post-production longevity; and relatively tolerant to low temperatures.

Botanical denomination: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.

Cultivar designation: ‘Stargazer’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPoinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Stargazer’.

The new Poinsettia is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new Poinsettia cultivars with upright anduniform plant habit, attractive flower bract shape and coloration, lowtemperature tolerance and good postproduction longevity.

The new Poinsettia originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor on Jan. 15, 2000 of a proprietary selection of Euphorbiapulcherrima Willd. identified as code number 98025, not patented, as thefemale, or seed, parent, with a proprietary selection of Euphorbiapulcherrima Willd. identified as code number 98001, not patented, as themale, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Stargazer was discovered andselected by the Inventor on Nov. 16, 2000 as a flowering plant withinthe progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environmentin Aalsmeer, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia by vegetative terminalcuttings in a controlled environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands sinceJuly, 2001, has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettiaare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations ofasexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Stargazer’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Stargazer’ as a new and distinct Poinsettiacultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and uniform plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   4. Dark red-colored flower bracts.    -   5. Early flowering habit; response time, about seven weeks.    -   6. Excellent post-production longevity.    -   7. Relatively tolerant to low temperatures.

Plants of the new Poinsettia differ from plants of the female parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia have more intense red-colored        flower bracts than plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia are tolerant to lower        temperatures than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Poinsettia differ from plants of the male parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia have longer postproduction        longevity than plants of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia are tolerant to lower        temperatures than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the cultivarFiscor, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,364. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, plants of the newPoinsettia differed from plants of the cultivar Fiscor in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia had stronger stems and were        sturdier than plants of the cultivar Fiscor.    -   2. Flower bract color of plants of the new Poinsettia was more        intense red than flower bract color of plants of the cultivar        Fiscor.    -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia had longer postproduction        longevity than plants of the cultivar Fiscor.    -   4. Plants of the new Poinsettia are tolerant to lower        temperatures than plants of the cultivar Fiscor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Poinsettia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Poinsettia. The photograph comprises a side perspective view ofa single flowering plant of ‘Stargazer’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and measurementsdescribe plants grown in De Kwakel, The Netherlands during the fallunder commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse with day andnight temperatures averaging the first ten weeks at 20° C., day andnight temperatures averaging the last weeks of production at 17° C.; andlight levels of about 200 W/m². Cuttings were planted into 13-cmcontainers when rooted and pinched once. Plants were flowered undershort day/long night (15 hour nyctoperiods) conditions. Plants wereabout 17 to 18 weeks from unrooted cuttings when the photograph and thedetailed botanical description were taken. In the following description,color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivar    Stargazer.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Euphorbia            pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number 98025, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Euphorbia            pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number 98001, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 10 days at 22° C.            Winter: About 14 days at 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About four weeks at 22° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; freely-branching; white in color.-   Plant description:    -   -   Growth habit.—Upright and uniform plant habit; inverted            triangle; top of plant rounded; rapid growth rate and            vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 25 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 30 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity per plant: Lateral            branches potentially developing at every node after            pinching. Length: About 12 to 16 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.            Internode length: About 5 to 15 mm. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Strength: Very strong; sturdy plants. Color: Close            to 144A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, single.            Quantity of leaves: About eight per lateral branch. Length:            About 11 cm. Width: About 8 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute.            Base: Cuneate to obtuse. Margin: Entire or slightly            irregularly lobed. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Glabrous, smooth; leathery. Color:            Developing foliage, upper surface: Close to 144A. Developing            foliage, lower surface: Close to 144B. Fully expanded            foliage, upper surface: Close to 147A. Fully expanded            foliage, lower surface: Close to 147B. Venation, upper and            lower surfaces: Similar to lamina. Petiole: Length: About            6.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Glabrous, smooth. Color, upper and lower surfaces:            Close to 183B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Inflorescences are compound            corymbs of cyathia with colored flower bracts subtending the            cyathia. Inflorescences not persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Autumn/winter; flower initiation            and development is induced under short day/long night            conditions.        -   Response time.—Early flowering, about seven weeks.        -   Post-production longevity.—Plants of the new Poinsettia            maintain good substance and bract color for about six weeks            under interior conditions and about eight weeks under            greenhouse conditions.        -   Quantity of inflorescences.—One per lateral branch;            typically about five to seven per plant.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 21 cm. Height (depth):            About 5 cm.        -   Flower bracts.—Quantity of fully developed flower bracts:            About twelve per inflorescence. Length: About 10 cm. Width:            About 6 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Obtuse.            Margin: Mostly entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Glabrous, smooth; leathery. Color: Developing bracts, upper            surface: Slightly darker than 53C. Developing bracts, lower            surface: 53C. Fully expanded bracts, upper surface: 53B.            Fully expanded bracts, lower surface: Lighter than 53B.            Venation, upper and lower surfaces: Same as lamina. Bract            petiole: Length: About 2 to 3 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous, smooth. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 183B.        -   Cyathia.—Quantity of cyathia: About five per corymb.            Diameter of cyathia cluster: About 1.5 to 2 cm. Length:            About 1 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Shape: Oval. Color,            immature and mature: Close to 144B.        -   Nectaries.—Quantity of nectaries: One per cyathium.            Diameter: About 5 mm. Color: 24B.        -   Peduncle.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Aspect:            Erect. Strength: Strong. Texture: Glabrous, smooth. Color:            Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity of stamens: About            eight per cyathium. Anther shape: Rounded. Anther length:            About 0.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 183B. Amount of pollen:            Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 9A to 12A. Pistils:            Quantity of pistils: Three per cyathium. Pistil length:            About 5 mm. Style length: About 2 mm. Style color: 45C.            Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: 45C.-   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to    Poinsettias has not been observed on plants grown under commercial    conditions.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have been    observed to be relatively tolerant to low temperatures and to    tolerate temperatures ranging from 17 to 35° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘Stargazer’, asillustrated and described.